Interludes
by Rhiannon87
Summary: Moments in the FFVII game that we didn't always get to see. CloudTifa implied.
1. Chapter 1

"Knights" 

Alex is flirting with me again. He doesn't mean anything by it, but I play along. It's nice to have someone paying attention to me as a human being, and not as a source of drinks or a pair of breasts.

"No, Alex, I can 'close up shop' all by myself," I reply with a grin. He smiles back as I pour him another drink.

"You're tryin' to break my heart, Tifa. You always turn me down. Why? You got somebody waitin' at home for you?"

"Hardly." I continue rinsing the shot glasses and glance at the clock. I'm gonna have to throw him out soon.

"No hero at home for you, Princess?"

I stop in my work and slowly turn to Alex with what I know is a cynical smile on my face.

"I don't believe in heroes, Alex," I say, my voice as bitter as my smile. I'm always smiling, and I hate it. I always want everyone else to be happy, not to worry about me. Why the hell can't I be selfish for once? "Don't believe in promises, either."

Alex leans back in his chair, taking a drink. "Why?" he asks, setting the glass down on the bar. I stare at it as I reply.

"Because I had a hero once. And he made me a promise. And if heroes were real and promises meant anything, he'd have rescued me from this hell hole a long time ago."

"Who was he?"

I shrug. "A boy I grew up with. He left to join SOLDIER about six years ago. He promised that when he got into SOLDIER, if I was ever in trouble, he'd come rescue me." I wave a hand at the room, including not only the bar but all of the slums. "I'd say this is trouble."

"You're bein' awful hard on the guy," Alex says as he slides his glass across the bar, waving off another drink. "What if he's stationed in Wutai or somethin'? Maybe he can't get to you now."

I shrug again and start to wash out his glass. "Maybe. He's probably dead by now, anyways."

Alex and I chat for a few minutes more, then I tell him to go home to his wife. Her boyfriend's probably left by now, I say, and Alex tells me my recall for gossip is remarkable.

"Just one of the job requirements."

I lock the door behind me and start the short walk to my apartment. Six years… has it been that long? Six years since I thought I needed to be saved, since I had illusions of knights and romance. I don't need a hero, now. I can take care of myself.

But it'd sure be nice to have him waiting for me at home.


	2. Chapter 2

"Shin-Ra's Finest" 

_"Here's your food! Wha-- no! Prof--!"_

_"Ah, finally got my sword back! C'mon, Cloud, let's go."_

_"…"_

_"Hey, you okay? Damn, man, you don't look so good. Urgh--- c'mon, let's get you outta here."_

He's doing better today. Still ain't talkin' much, but he's watching me set up camp, and he nods when I talk to him. Better than the creepy head-bobbing thing. He's not handling the Jenova cells well at all. No wonder he didn't make SOLDIER, poor guy.

"So Cloud, ya hungry? I've got… uh, some local wildlife that I'm really hopin' isn't poisonous!"

I look over at Cloud, who's leaning against a tree. He glances at me and shrugs, then shakes his head slightly. He mumbles something, then sighs as he gives up on trying to talk. I smile sympathetically at him.

"Don't worry, man. I'm sure your voice'll come back. You're getting better all the time!"

He nods a bit. I pull a creature I'm hoping is related to rabbit off the fire and toss it onto my pack, waiting for it to cool.

"Thank goodness for Shin-Ra survival school, eh?" I lean back on my elbows and look skyward. "Now then, where was I… did I tell you about the library yet?" I ask, looking back down at Cloud. He thinks for a moment, then shakes his head. I frown; I could've sworn I already told him, but the Mako and Jenova cells are really messing with him. "Okay then… well, after the reactor, and Sephiroth saw those Mako-humans, he disappeared into that mansion. Eventually, I found him down in this hidden basement library. He was reading somethin' about the Jenova Project…"

_"Hey, Cloud, I'm goin' into town tonight. Wanna come?"_

_"No thanks."_

_"C'mon… I'm meeting with a coupla great girls-- I'll let you have the redhead!"_

_"That's okay."_

_"What? You got a girl back home or somethin'?"_

_"…"_

_"Ah-ha! I knew it!"_

_"I don't have a girlfriend!"_

_"You should. There's plenty of great women out there."_

_"And you've got the name and address of each and every one."  
"Damn straight! Now, you comin' or not?"_

I continue my story up to the point where Sephiroth started burning the town, then stop and look over at Cloud. He's staring blankly at the ground, but glances up when I stop talking.

"You okay, man?" I ask. I know he was in the town during the fire, but I don't know how much he remembers. He hesitates a moment, then shakes his head. I stand and walk around the fire, sitting down next to him.

"Do you remember what comes next?" I ask. Cloud nods, then shivers a little. He mumbles something, and I'm able to pick out a few words.

"Your mom?"

Nod.

"Aw, hell… you know she's…"

Nod.

"Jeez… I'm sorry, man. I really am."

He nods again, but keeps his head tucked against his chest. I put my arm around his shoulders and pretend not to notice when he starts to cry.

_"Hey, rookie, slow down and you won't run into people!"  
"S-Sorry!"_

_"No problem, man. I'm Zack, by the way-- SOLDIER, First Class."_

_"Cloud Strife."_

_"Nice to meet ya. You tryin' out for SOLDIER?"_

_"Yeah…"_

_"It's rough, man. Rougher once ya get in."_

_"I know. But, uh, that's why I was running-- they're announcing the names of the ones who made it in the lobby."_

_"Ah, well, good luck then!"_

_"Thanks."_

I wake before Cloud does the next morning, and set about cleaning up our camp. I know Shin-Ra's following us, and I don't wanna leave too obvious of a trail. Cloud wakes up and stares blankly at me for a moment, then drops his head back onto his chest. I sigh, shoulder my sword, and walk over to him.

"And here I was, hopin' I wasn't gonna hafta carry you today." I pull his arm across my shoulder and put my arm around his waist, then stand. "Well Cloud, let's see what sympathetic person'll give us a lift today! Maybe we can find a ride to Costa-- I've got a plan to head for Midgar. Whaddya think?"

I guess I can take his head bobbing as a yes.

_"Yo! Strife! Wake up, man! We've got our briefing with Sephiroth today!"_

_"Shut the hell up, Zack."_

_"Now, we'll have none of that. C'mon, get up! This is your first meeting with your hero-- you don't wanna be late, do you?"_

I walk on for a while, staying close to the road. Finally, a farmer in a beat-up truck stops and asks what's wrong. I recite my story: my pal and I were in SOLDIER, we got in a fight with some huge creature up North and got separated from our group, my friend's hurt bad, we need to get to Midgar, can you help us out? Luckily, he buys it, and says he can take Cloud and me as far as the edge of the desert around the Gold Saucer.

"Thanks for the lift, man!"

"Yeah, yeah… don't know why I bothered to stop."

I laugh and leap into the back of the truck. "Comfortable, Cloud?" No response. I shrug. I didn't really expect one anyway.

_"Hey! Of course! I got a lot of brains and skill that other guys don't. That settles it-- I'm gonna be a mercenary!"_

_"Hey…didn't you even hear a word I said?"_

_"Listen, I'm gonna become a mercenary and that's that. Boring stuff, dangerous stuff, anything for money! I'm gonna be rich! … So Cloud, what're you gonna do?"_

_"…uhhh…"_

_"Just kidding. I won't leave you hanging like that. We're friends, right?… Mercenaries, Cloud. That's what you an' me are gonna be."_

We make it to the edge of the desert, then to Costa del Sol, then to Junon. I'm getting nervous; I know Shin-Ra picked up on our trail in Junon, and SOLDIER doesn't treat deserters kindly. We're close to Midgar, though. If I hurry, we can make it before nightfall. Much as I hate to get Aeris and her mother involved, I've got nowhere else to go. I'm just too worn out to worry about finding my own place now.

Cloud's havin' another bad day, so I'm dragging him up the road towards Midgar. Damn, I hope Aeris is still good with healing stuff, 'cause he needs help bad. I hear gunshots behind us and curse, dropping Cloud and running back towards the troops. I ain't givin' up now, not that we're this close.

_"Hey, rookie! How'd you do?"_

_"…I…I didn't make it…"_

_"Aw, I'm sorry, man. What're you gonna do now?"_

_"…they said I could stay on as a regular guard."_

_"Hey, don't sound so put out about it! You made it to the last level of testing for SOLDIER; most people don't get that far! Besides, with all that pre-SOLDIER training, you'll get really good jobs. I could probably even request you for some of my missions!"_

_"…Really? You'd do that?"_

_"Sure, man! What're friends for? I watch your back, you watch mine! Deal?"_

_"…Yeah. It's a deal."_


	3. Chapter 3

"Hired Help" 

"I don' trust him."

"Barret--"

"No one's hair is naturally that spiky!"

"Cloud is probably the only reason the hair gel industry exists at all." Tifa rolled her eyes at Barret as she wiped down the bar. She took a glass tumbler out of Marlene's hands and moved the young girl to a different spot on the bar. Marlene laughed and held out her arms to be picked up again, but Tifa just shook her head and handed the girl a plastic martini shaker to play with.

Resuming her conversation with Barret, she said, "He's always had his hair like that, even when we were kids." She paused. "And what does his hair have to do with his trustworthiness?"

"I dunno. There's just somethin' off about that kid, ya know?"

"He's just quiet. And serious. But he was always like that, so--"

"No, 'cause somma the kids in AVALANCHE can be pretty quiet too." Barret thought for a while, absently watching Marlene pretend to pour drinks into the martini glasses.

"It's more than that. He seems... aw, hell, I dunno! He's got somethin' weird about him, an' I don't think he's the same kid ya grew up with."

"It's been seven years since he left Nibelheim, but--"

"See! People can totally change in a few years. How do ya know you can still trust him?"

"I just-- Marlene, honey, put that down, that's dangerous-- I don't know, Barret. I just do. You've always trusted my judgment before."

"Well... how do ya know he won't turn traitor? He was in SOLDIER, for cryin' out loud-- he might decide he liked it better with 'em and turn us in!"

"Cloud isn't like that! He-- he's honorable, for one thing, and I know he left SOLDIER for a good reason. He won't go back. On top of that, he's broke, and he knows he won't get paid unless he sticks with the mission."

"Hmph."

"You've already hired him. It's a little late for second thoughts."

"Fine. But I'm keepin' a close eye on him!"

"Suit yourself. Now put Marlene to bed."


	4. Chapter 4

**"Girl Talk"**

Night had fallen over the quiet town of Kalm. It was barely past nine, but most of the town's residents had already retreated to their homes for the night.

For two young women used to the late night action of Midgar, it was boring as all hell.

Aeris sighed and turned away from the window, having identified all the constellations she knew at least four times. She glanced around the small room she shared with Tifa. The room was barely big enough to hold two beds and a dresser, but it was still comfortable. Her rod stood in the corner, and a pair of fighting gloves lay on top of the dresser. The owner of the gloves was sprawled across one of the beds, head hanging off the edge as she looked up at Aeris.

"I'm bored," Tifa announced, stretching her arms over her head. Aeris nodded.

"I know… it's not like I really went out and did much in Midgar, but… at least there was something to do."

"The nine o'clock rush would be starting about now… all the married men who'd gone home from work, fought with their wives, then stormed out to the bar." Tifa sat up, running a hand through her hair. "I can't believe that's all gone…" she muttered. An awkward silence fell as Aeris tried to think of something comforting to say. Suddenly, Tifa bounced to her feet.

"That's it. We're going out," she declared. Aeris raised an eyebrow.

"Where to?"

"There's a bar down the street from here. We can go, I can complain about incompetent bartenders, we can flirt with the only two single young men in this whole town--" Aeris chuckled, and Tifa paused, frowning. "Hmm… I'm being awfully generous towards the population of Kalm, assuming there's _two_ men who meet that description."

"True. Well, if there's only one, we could tag-team him," Aeris suggested.

"Or we could just get a little drunk and leave this poor guy alone," Tifa laughed.

"Why not?" Aeris agreed with a shrug, following Tifa to the door. Tifa walked down the hall, then knocked on the door down the hall from the girl's room. After a few moments, the door opened slightly and a bemused-looking Cloud stuck his head out. "What?" he asked.

"Aeris and I are going out," Tifa informed him. Cloud blinked, glanced at the two women, then asked, "Out _where_?"

"Tifa spotted a bar down the street," Aeris said. "We're just going to go hang out."

"Okay…see you later then." Cloud closed the door, and Tifa rolled her eyes at it. "At least Barret didn't answer… he'd probably have given us a curfew or something," she said, heading for the stairs.

Ten minutes later, the pair had settled in at a corner table at the half-full bar. Most of the other patrons were middle-aged men, nursing beers and avoiding conversation. Nine o'clock rushes, apparently, were the same everywhere.

"Whaddya gonna get?" Tifa asked, trying to remember if Kalm was known for any really good drinks. Aeris shrugged. "I don't know… you're the bartender, what do you recommend?" Tifa grinned. "Well, that depends on what you like. Something sweet, fruity, sour-- don't tell me you like mint, though."

"Why?"

"Because then I won't be able to resist the temptation to tell you to order peppermint schnapps, and that'll knock you out quick."

Aeris laughed. "Just imagine the look on Cloud's face if you had to drag me back to the inn, stone drunk." Tifa shook her head, smiling. "It'd be priceless."

"Why don't you get something for me? I trust you not to order anything too terrible," Aeris said. Tifa nodded and stood, walking over to the bar. She flashed the bartender a smile and leaned forward on the bar, chatting as he mixed the drinks. Aeris saw her wince and start to comment at one point, then shook her head and accepted the drinks with another smile.

"Screwdriver for me, strawberry daiquiri for you," she said, setting the glasses on the table and taking her seat. "I remember someone telling me Kalm has pretty good daiquiris," Tifa continued, taking a sip of her drink. She coughed slightly and shook her head. "I knew he added too much vodka," she rasped, clearing her throat. She chuckled. "You might be dragging my drunken self back to the inn instead of the other way around."

"And what am I supposed to tell Cloud?" Aeris asked. Tifa shrugged, taking another drink. "I doubt he'd notice. He found me in a bar, you in a church. He'd expect it from me." Her voice was even, only slightly strained over the bitterness. Aeris raised an eyebrow at her companion.

"I thought you two were childhood friends… sweethearts, even."

Tifa choked on her drink and set the glass down. "Childhood sweethearts?" she repeated, shaking her head. "Hardly. We were friends, back then… but he's just so different now. Incredible, how much a person can change in seven years."

"Seven years? I thought Cloud said it had been five years since you last saw each other…"

Tifa blinked, then smiled nervously. "Right, of course. What'd I say, seven? My mistake." She took another drink, then glanced at Aeris' glass.

"C'mon, we came out to have fun. Have you even touched your daiquiri?"

Aeris smiled and took a drink.

Cloud lay on his bed in the inn, trying to sleep. This was a task that was looking more and more impossible. Between Barret's snoring and Red's glowing tail, it didn't look like he'd be getting much sleep that night. He sighed and rolled over onto his side, hoping that he could block out the light from Red's tail. Instead, he just got an interesting shadow display. He sighed and shook his head, closing his eyes. A few seconds later, he opened them again, looking at the door. The sound of feminine giggling echoed in from the hallway, along with the occasional thump. Finally, Cloud's curiousity got the best of him and he stood, opening the door and looking outside. He blinked at the sight that greeted him.

"Sshhh, we'll wake everyone up," Tifa stage-whispered to Aeris as they staggered down the hall, arms across each other's shoulders. Aeris looked up at Cloud and giggled.

"Too late," she replied. Tifa looked up as well, then grinned and waved at Cloud. "Hi Cloud," she said, still whispering loudly. "We're a little bit drunk," she informed him. Aeris nodded slowly.

"So you have to be nice to us tomorrow, 'cause we're gonna be hung over," Tifa continued. Cloud nodded slowly, looking back and forth at the two women. "…Right," he said.

"We're gonna go to bed now," Aeris said, pointing at their doorway. Cloud nodded again. "Okay. See you two in the morning," he said, wishing he hadn't gotten out of bed. Tifa nodded, and the pair stumbled off towards their room, giggling again. Cloud watched to make sure they made it safely into their room, then shook his head and closed the door.


	5. Chapter 5

"**Heaven's So Far Away"**

"What're you doing?" Tifa asks. I look up from the small knapsack I'm filling with supplies to the young woman in the doorway. She looks exhausted; I think she's been up with Cloud all night. The thought of him makes me instinctively brush my fingers across the bruise on my temple. I shake my head slightly and focus on Tifa.

"Leaving," I reply simply. Tifa stares at me uncomprehendingly.

"What?"

"I have to stop Sephiroth." I look back at the small pile of provisions on my bed and mechanically begin to place them in the pack. Tifa steps into the room.

"We're all trying to do that--"

I shake my head. "No. _I_ have to."

Tifa pauses a moment, mulling this over. I keep my attention on the items in front of me.

"So, you're just going to leave him?" Tifa asks angrily, and I look up. She's standing at the foot of my bed, her hands balled into fists. "You can't do that to him!"

"What are you talking about?" I ask. Tifa's fury seems to waver slightly, and she looks to the side.

"He- he cares about you a lot, Aeris, and you can't just leave him like this--"

The obvious pain and resignation in her voice are heartbreaking. What's worse is I think I'm partly at fault…

"You've given up," I state. Tifa looks up in surprise, then closes her eyes.

"I'm a fighter, Aeris. I'm trained to recognize losing battles. I—I can't compete against you… you're so much better for him than I could be. I just—I just want him to be okay, to be happy…"

I can tell she's not really talking to me anymore. She really, truly thinks that Cloud would be better off with me. I liked this triangle we had, but I never wanted it to end up like this.

"He doesn't love me, Tifa," I say gently. She stares at me. "I know he doesn't." Tifa is silent, as if she's having trouble processing this information.

"You're wrong, about me being better for him," I continue. She focuses back on me.

"What?"

I sigh heavily. I know my fate, and I know that I'm right. That doesn't make this hurt any less.

"Tifa, you're so fiercely loyal to him, I know you'll stay with him no matter what. I-I can't. I know you'll take care of him… that's why I can leave. He needs to be taken care of… he needs _you_."

Tifa looks stunned. I don't know if she's ever thought that Cloud might depend on her for more than her fighting skills, or even her friendship.

"Aeris…" she says softly, her voice trailing off.

I force myself to continue. "Besides, even if he did love me, even if it was a match decreed by Fate… it wouldn't matter."

Tifa's voice is heavy with dread. "Why?"

"I-I don't think I'll be coming back," I say, my voice choked. It's the first time I've admitted it out loud, admitted it to anyone. My hands are shaking horribly as I place the last few items in my pack.

"What are you talking about? You have to come back!" Tifa exclaims desperately. I shake my head, cutting her off. She doesn't understand.

"Tifa. For Holy to be released, to stop Sephiroth, a soul has to reach the Planet," I say, trying to keep the waver out of my voice. We're both on the verge of tears.

"No… Aeris…" Tifa gives in first and looks down, her shoulders shaking. "You can't go…."

"Don't make this any harder that it already is, Tifa… please…" I'm crying, too. Tifa takes a few steps towards me and throws her arms around my neck. I hug her back. Despite the jealousy and the tension of loving the same man, she's still my friend. I let my head rest against her shoulder. I don't want to go…

"What am I supposed to tell Cloud?" Tifa asks quietly. I shake my head, letting my eyes close as tears slide down my cheeks.

"Don't tell him anything. I-I'll make sure he knows. Don't worry about it."

"Okay," Tifa replies, trying to sound like she trusts me. I know she doesn't, I know she doesn't think any of this will work out.

Honestly, neither do I. But I have to try.

I step back from Tifa and pick up my knapsack. Roughly wiping a hand across my face, I meet Tifa's eyes.

"Take care of him," I whisper. Tifa nods, a few tears coursing their way down her face.

I have to leave now, before I give into the growing fear and decide to stay. I leave the small inn and begin my journey. I try not to think of Cloud, or Tifa, or Zack, or Sephiroth. I try not to think at all.

Instead, I pray to the Planet that this will all work out in the end. That our pain will have some purpose. And that he'll forgive me.


	6. Chapter 6

**"En Requiem Pas"**

Jenova says he's a puppet, without emotions or feelings. He says She's wrong, because nothing has ever hurt like this. Nibelheim hurt. Tifa hurt, both then and now, but the now-hurt is different. Aeris hurts like being kicked in the stomach, with all the air stolen from his lungs.

Aeris hurts like a gaping hole in his chest.

He trudges along behind Tifa, who's crying quietly, trying to muffle her sobs with her hand. He looks down at his own hands, and notices he's holding Aeris' ribbon. It came loose when He stabbed her, the ribbon and something else fell. He frowns for a moment, wondering if the something else was important.

Ahead of him, Tifa stumbles on a rock and nearly falls. She stops walking and covers her face, shoulders shaking. He crosses the space between them, then hesitates, standing close enough to touch. He cautiously puts one arm around her shoulders and half-hugs her. She turns towards him and buries her face in his shoulder, throwing her arms around his neck. Red, who'd continued walking, finally stops and looks back. He holds up a hand, signaling to Red to wait a minute. After a few moments, he steps back from Tifa and looks at her face.

"You gonna be okay getting back?" he asks, although he doesn't really know where they're getting back to. The house in this city, Midgar, Nibelheim, eight days ago--

She nods and coughs into her hand, then drags her glove across her eyes. There was some blood left on the cloth, and it leaves a red streak under her eye. He can't tell if it's Aeris' or Jenova's, and he feels sick. He brings his hand up to her face and wipes the blood off. Tifa blinks at him, then shakes her head and turns away, continuing down the path. He falls in step behind her, watching to make sure she doesn't fall.

Red beats them to the house and curls up in the corner, staring into the shadows. He wonders if Red can cry.

He wonders why he hasn't.

Tifa climbs up the ladder to the bedroom, and he can picture her curled up on the bed, trying not to cry again. Part of him says he should go up there too, try to comfort her. And he will, later. But he needs to be alone with his hurt right now.

"I'll be back," he says to Red, who glances in his direction and nods once. He turns and walks back out the door, into the moonlit night. He's still holding her ribbon. At some point, he wrapped it around his hand-- probably while they were walking. He doesn't really remember most of the walk back. A cool breeze hits him, and he realizes he's freezing cold. His clothes are still wet from the pool. The ribbon is dry, though.

He can't figure out why he's so fixated on it.

'Maybe it's because it's all you have left of her,' one of his voices says softly, sadly. He looks down from the moon to the seashell path with a sigh. A pink ribbon is all that remains to represent twenty-two years of life, of gardening and laughing and crying and loving. There's something wrong with that, but he can't explain why. He slowly unwraps the ribbon from his hand, studying it. He should take it back to Midgar, for Elmyra. He should keep it for himself.

Cloud kneels beside a tall, silvery-pink coral plant, one he thinks Aeris would have liked. He carefully ties the ribbon around one of the branches, making the City itself a testament to her life. He still thinks it's too small, but it's the best he can do.

Slowly, he stands and walks back towards the house.


	7. Chapter 7

**"Rumble"**

A fork in the road. The path to the right seems to lead back towards the City, but we've discovered the Ancients were fond of long, winding roads and switchbacks. The path to the left is a relatively steep hill, but it heads North and away from the City. Cloud glances between the two paths, then turns to Tifa and I. "I'll be back in a few minutes," he says, then jogs off down the right hand path. A sharp turn takes him out of sight, but Tifa keeps staring after him.

Humans are rather ridiculous. Those two have been-- flirting, I suppose-- ever since I joined the group, and they still haven't figured each other out. With my people, if there are two who like each other, they simply tell each other and eliminate all this confusion and longing glances.

Tifa sighs and continues staring down the path. I paw at her arm.

"He said he'll be back soon, and I think Cloud can handle anything that might come along." _Hopefully he's also smart enough to run away if he can't_, I silently add, then continue out loud: "Why don't you sit down?"

I'm worried about her. She's been acting very strangely since Aeris died... that's to be expected, to some extent, but she hasn't been eating at all or sleeping more than an hour a night. And though she'd never admit it to anyone, she hates letting Cloud out of her sight for longer than a minute or two.

Tifa doesn't seem to hear me at first, but then she sighs and sits down on a nearby rock. She absently scratches behind my ears, still looking back the way Cloud went. I sit quietly at her feet, figuring there's little chance of conversation with her so distracted. About a quarter of an hour passes in silence, then we both look up as the sound of boots crunching on gravel reaches our ears. Cloud walks into view, trying to dust himself off. His clothes are covered with a thin layer of white dust, and his arms and hands are scraped.

"Hopefully that isn't the way, because the road collapsed just past that turn. It took me a while to climb out." He shakes his head, and a small cloud of white dust rises up from his hair. I'd start laughing if I didn't think doing so would earn me a thrashing with the flat of Cloud's sword.

"We'll have to go that way," Cloud continues, nodding at the left-hand path. He brushes at his clothes again, rolls his eyes in disgust, and heads off. Tifa stands and quickly falls in step with him, while I trail along behind.

"You all right?" Cloud asks Tifa quietly. She nods. I can tell Cloud doesn't believe her, but he doesn't ask her anything more about it. Another thing about humans-- they're so non-confrontational! If it were a member of my clan acting like this, I would talk to her until she told me what was wrong. It would be expected from me, as a friend. Humans usually just leave each other alone when they're upset. No wonder they're so confused about each other all the time--

A sickle-like barb whizzes over my head and catches Cloud in the back. I spin around to see two flying creatures overhead, accompanied by a large wolf pacing towards us.

Wonderful. An ambush.

The wolf lunges for Tifa, who dodges out of the way. The wolf lashes out as it flies past, and I see blood fountain from a large gash on Tifa's leg. Another sickle flies towards Cloud, who hits it away with his sword and starts towards Tifa. The wolf skids to a stop and prepares for another charge. I cut him off, slashing at his side and face with my claws.

"Red, look out!" Tifa shouts, and I feel my hair stand on end. I dive to the side as a lightning bolt crashes down on the wolf, leaving it a sizzling mound of flesh. Two thumps behind me tell me the flying creatures got the same treatment. Cloud lowers his hands from the magical attack and kneels by Tifa.

"I'm fine, Cloud, it's just a cut--"

"The hell it is." Cloud ignores Tifa's protests that she's fine and digs some bandages and a potion out of his pack. He glances over at me. "Red, go make sure they don't have friends lurking around." I nod and head back the way we came, peering under the sparse growth on either side of the path. I can hear Tifa arguing with Cloud-- or rather, arguing at him, since Cloud isn't responding to her.

I wander off out of hearing range and give them about ten minutes alone, then head back. I can't help but smile a bit at the scene that greets me: Cloud is sitting on a rock with his arms folded, glaring at the ground while Tifa cleans the cut on his back.

"If you say one word about how you're fine after you completely ignored me, I swear I will shove this potion down your throat!" Tifa threatens. Cloud sighs, then notices me. His glare intensifies as he notices my amused expression. I shake my head and pad over to Tifa. "There wasn't anything back that way," I report, sitting. Tifa nods absently, most of her attention still focused on Cloud. "You didn't get hurt, did you Red?" Tifa asks after stowing the empty potion bottle. I shake my head. "I'm perfectly fine, I swear," I reply quickly. Cloud nods, standing. "We'd better keep going. I want to be as far away from the City as possible by nightfall." His eyes flicker back at the road behind us, and for a second, he looks terrified. It's so brief, I think I might have imagined it, until I look at Tifa. From the worried expression on her face, I know she saw it too. Cloud starts walking down the road again, and Tifa and I follow.


	8. Chapter 8

**"Streaming"**

--and you've always known you were fake not real never you're a lie everything's just a lie Sephiroth? Not real none of them not you murderer liar killer I hate myself sometimes too much in my mind too bright it hurts it HURTS stop it make it stop please please please begging you Lifestream green screaming who's screaming taste and smell of blood Have to stop Sephiroth Why? You can't defeat him you know you can't you're just going to die please just let me I can't do this anymore the pain is driving me insane don't leave her! forgive me screaming again it's too bright bright bright bright green light everywhere everything hurts the Planet is shrieking and so am I--


	9. Chapter 9

"Watching" 

Cloud jerks in his chair, his hands tightening into fists and his breath hissing around his clenched teeth. I carefully pry his hands open, wincing as I see the bloody cuts on his palms. Some are new, but most are old cuts he opens up with his nails every time he clenches his fists like that. I brush his bangs off his face and he flinches violently away. I drop my hand and sigh. At least he's got his eyes closed. I hate myself for saying this, but I cannot stand the sight of his eyes now. They're such a bright, blinding shade of blue, and always so expressive, even when he was trying to hide what he felt. To see them devoid of all reason or humanity physically hurts me. His eyes shouldn't look like that... no one's should, but especially not Cloud's. Give me anger, sorrow, apathy, lies-- anything in his eyes but this insanity.

"How are you doing?" the nurse asks as she looks in on us. I shrug.

"All right," I reply, and internally wince at how hoarse I sound. I clear my throat and try again.

"I'm all right."

The nurse doesn't look convinced, but she knows better than to push me by now.

"And how is he?" she continues, nodding at Cloud. I shake my head and drop into a chair.

"Same as usual."

"No signs of improvement?"

"None."

"It's a miracle he's still alive, after being that heavily poisoned and half-drowned."

"I know... believe me, I know."

The nurse-- Melony, maybe?-- smiles at me. "He's very lucky to have someone like you with him." I manage a weak smile in response. Melony-- or is it Melody?-- has been wonderful. Unlike the doctor, she thinks there's some hope for Cloud, and doesn't think I'm wasting my time with him.

"Are you staying here again?" she asks. I nod, and she sighs at me. "You'd rest better at the Inn--"

"I'll be fine. I need to stay with him."

The nurse smiles sympathetically and nods. "All right. Try to get some rest, dear."

She closes the door as she leaves, and a few moments later I see her walking down the path outside the window. I look back at Cloud, who's rocking back and forth in the wheelchair, muttering under his breath. Most of it isn't coherent speech, but sometimes I can pick out words. "Sephiroth", "Meteor," and "Materia" seem to be the most common ones, but I can pick out a few others from time to time.

Like "Aeris".

I cannot believe I'm still jealous of her. She died, damn it, she was my friend and she was murdered right in front of me, but I still feel jealous. How can I be jealous of her? There's got to be something wrong with me. I'm jealous of a dead woman, of the effect her memory is having on Cloud.

I glance back at Cloud, who's fallen silent. He's still rocking back and forth, and his eyes are open.

Completely mindless.

I shake my head and stand, going to the window. He is not lost, not insane. Cloud is still in there somewhere, I know it. He's stronger than this. He'll be all right...

I've never been as good at reassuring myself as Cloud was. He could always convince me that everything would be okay, that he would take care of things, even when we were kids. And he always did...

I have the sudden overwhelming urge to curl up on one of the beds and sob until I fall asleep. I can't, though. He needs me. Cloud was our leader, our strength... now I have to be the strong one. For him.

He's probably the only one I'd do this for.

I settle back in my chair and take his right hand between my own. His hand is still bloody from earlier, and rough with sword calluses. The thought makes me glance up at his sword, which is propped up like a silent watcher in the corner of the room. I can't believe he managed to hang onto the damn thing the whole time.

"Sephiroth..." Cloud mumbles, shifting restlessly. He suddenly tenses and throws himself backwards, forcing me to grab at the chair to keep it from flipping. He looks like he's trying to escape from something. Or someone.

"It's all right, Cloud, he's gone..." I murmur reassurances, trying to calm him. It seems to work. Either that, or whatever nightmare's in his head fades. I settle in for another long night.

I wake suddenly several hours later. I didn't mean to fall asleep, but I suppose four days without sleep finally caught up with me. Cloud's asleep too, and he looks so... normal. He's sleeping the same way he always did when we were traveling in the buggy: sitting up straight, his arms folded over his chest, head bent. After he'd driven for nine hours straight, I'd kick him out of the pilot's seat and take over. He never went far, just settling in the co-pilot's seat and falling asleep almost immediately. His neck would get sore if he slept like that for more than a few hours, so I'd wake him up after a while and get someone to chase him out and to a real bed.

I blink the sudden tears from my eyes and stand, going to the sink. Cloud's blood is all over my hands, and I'm trying not to think of the bad omens that represents. I run a towel under the water and go back to Cloud, wiping the dried blood off his hands. His palms look slashed, like someone's taken a ragged chunk of metal to them. I ought to get the nurse to bandage them tomorrow, or they won't heal properly and he won't be able to hold his sword--

The tears that have been threatening all night win, and I cover my face with my hands, sobbing. He's dying slowly, anyone can see that. He's losing his mind before the poison destroys his body too. I'm going to lose him, and I'll be alone again. I was so lonely in Midgar, even with Barret and Marlene and AVALANCHE. Then Cloud came back, and we set out to stop Shin-Ra and Sephiroth... and with Cloud, I wasn't lonely anymore.

Now, sitting here with essentially a shell of him, I'm lonelier than I ever was in Midgar. I wipe tears off my face and look up at Cloud. He's awake. I guess my crying woke him. He stares at a point past my shoulder, expression blank.

"Cloud?"

No reaction.

"Cloud, I know you can hear me. I know you're in there." I think I'm getting hysterical. I'm laughing, but I'm crying too. There's something wrong with that… But I just don't care anymore.

"You promised you'd rescue me when I was in trouble-- I'm in trouble, Cloud. Wake up and rescue me, please!" When did I stand up? Cloud's expression hasn't changed the whole time I've been screaming. I raise my hand to hit him.

"Look at me, god damn it!"

I stop cold, gasping, my breath hitching on sobs. My hand falls back to my side, and I drop to my knees in front of Cloud.

"I'm sorry... so sorry..."

I fold my arms across Cloud's knees and rest my forehead against them.

"It's not your fault... I just... I'm so scared of being alone again, Cloud."

My voice drops to a hoarse whisper.

"Please don't leave me."

He doesn't move.


	10. Chapter 10

"Trust" 

I drop onto the single real bed on the _Highwind_ and cover my face with my hands. I'm a fake. A lie. The past few months don't belong to me... they're the life of some twisted creation, of my deranged mind. I...I was so incompetent, so weak, that I convinced myself I was someone else. Someone better. I made myself into Zack...

And I forgot about the first real friend I ever had.

The door opens and I jerk my head up, looking over at the door. Tifa stands there, looking uncertain.

"I...I, uh, wanted to see if you were all right..." she says, her voice echoing her nervous posture. She never sounds like that. I guess finding out what I'd done really threw her. She probably hates me.

"I'm fine... just tired."

"Liar."

"True enough," I reply, smiling bitterly as I fall backwards onto the bed. Tifa sighs and walks into the room, shutting the door behind her.

"You know damn well that's not what I meant, Cloud Strife," she says angrily. I shrug.

"Doesn't matter. That's what I am. A liar, a failure, the reason this world's about to be destroyed--"

"Shut up!" I raise my head to look at Tifa. I have never seen her look this mad. She glares at me, looking ready to strangle me. Or bludgeon me with my own sword.

"I know you are furious with yourself for this whole mess, but this self-loathing is really starting to piss me off," Tifa hisses, taking a step towards me. She looks me over for a moment, her eyes taking in the torn SOLDIER uniform, the bandages on my left arm, the utterly defeated expression on my face. She sighs, and the anger seems to just disappear from her. She sighs and sits down cross-legged on the bed near my waist.

"Why do you hate yourself so much?" she asks quietly after a few minutes of silence. I stare at her.

"I-I don't hate myself, I'm just--"

"Cloud." I fall silent. I never really thought about it like that... It's normal to think of myself as a failure, as weak, as not good enough.

Never good enough for them...

"Why, Cloud?"

She's not going to leave me alone until I give her some kind of answer.

"Because I'm a failure, just like Hojo said. I- I was never good at anything, I was just that damn Strife bastard--" I cut myself off, realizing what I've said. Tifa just stares at me, shaking her head slightly.

"It's 'cause of Nibelheim, isn't it," she says sadly. I could pretend I think she's talking about five years ago, but I know she's not. I nod, closing my eyes. This hurts. This is why I didn't want to remember, why I hid myself behind Zack--

"No one liked Mom or me. Ever. She was 'that city-bred whore' that everyone kept their kids away from, like she'd infect them or something." Is that my voice that sounds so bitter? "I was even worse-- the bastard kid who thought he was better than everyone else." I'm glad my eyes are closed. I don't want to see Tifa's face. "You know why I never played with the other kids? It wasn't 'cause I thought I was better, not at first... it was because everyone's parents told them to stay away from me and Mom. I knew that."

"My dad..." I open my eyes to look at Tifa. She looks sad, staring at me but not really seeing me. "I don't know if you remember this... one day when I was about seven, I was walking home from school, and your mom said hello to me. She told me she'd made cookies, did I want some?" She smiles, shakes her head. "I was seven and offered free sweets. I went inside, had some great cookies, talked to Ms. Strife for a while... then I went home. I don't know where you were--"

I remember. "Detention. Some of the older kids had picked on me, tried to beat me up. The teacher punished me instead of them, 'cause no one would hold it against her. Mom told me you'd stopped by at dinner."

Tifa nods. "Anyway, I went home and Dad started yelling at me, wondering where I'd been. I told him, and he got really angry. He said I shouldn't ever talk to Ms. Strife again, that he wouldn't have his daughter around that sort of woman... Mom said he was being too harsh, but he didn't listen. I didn't want to get yelled at again, so..."

"You stayed away."

"Yeah... I never told you how sorry I am."

"It's okay... we were kids, we didn't know better."

"Yeah, but--"

"And you were always a lot nicer to me than the other kids were." I try to smile at her. I'm not sure how well it works. "Don't beat yourself up over it. I don't blame you."

Tifa shrugs, staring off into space again. She focuses suddenly, looking back at me. "I wanted to tell you... while we were in the Lifestream, I remembered something. We weren't all that close as kids, I know, but when you left... I missed you. I read the papers all the time, hoping to see an article about you."

She did? I--I didn't know that, I thought she'd just forgotten about me like everyone else...

"I... Th-thanks, Tifa." We sit in silence for a while, then Tifa asks, "Where was your mom from?"

I sigh. "Midgar. She worked for Shin-Ra for a while, met a guy who worked there, got pregnant with me, left town and went to Nibelheim." Anticipating her next question, I continue, "I think she left 'cause her family pretty much disowned her. She was only 18 when I was born."

And only 34 when she died...

"I never knew that," Tifa says.

I shrug, closing my eyes again. "Mom didn't talk about her past much... she said I looked like her, but I was smart like my dad. Liked to fight like him too."

"And you have no idea who your father is?"

"None... Mom told me he died when I was young. She always said she'd tell me who he was when I was older..." I shake my head. "But the last time I saw her was when I was fourteen."

Tifa sounds startled. "Didn't you go to see her when you and Zack and Sephiroth came to Nibelheim?"

Ah, hell... of course she'd remember that. The story I told in Kalm... I said I went back to my house, visited Mom. I made that up. That whole memory, from beginning to end, was fake. She'd stayed inside like everyone else in town had. I didn't see her once.

"No... I didn't. I'd told everyone I was in SOLDIER, remember? I didn't want everyone to know I was just a guard. I knew what they'd say..." My voice sounds harsh, angry. "Damn Strife kid, I knew he'd never amount to anything. Just a lousy Shin-Ra guard..." I sigh heavily. "I didn't want to deal with it, and I didn't want Mom to have to deal with it either. She had enough problems to begin with..." I bite my lip, unable to talk around the lump in my throat. My eyes fly open as I feel Tifa's weight on my chest, her arms halfway wrapped around me in a hug.

"I miss them too," she says softly. I move my arms to hug her back, but she pulls away and sits up before I can. I sit up too, rubbing the back of my neck in a habitual gesture of uncertainty. We sit side by side as another silence falls over the room.

"Is that why you left Nibelheim so young?"

I look over at Tifa. "I feel like I'm being interviewed," I reply, dodging the question. She mock-glares at me.

"You're not talking voluntarily, so I have to ask. Besides, I've realized I don't really know that much about you."

I wait for her to continue. When she doesn't, I prompt her. "And...?"

"And I don't like that."

I shrug, then return to her question. "Is what why I left Nibelheim?"

"Cloud!"

"What? I don't know what you're asking me."

"The way everyone treated you and Ms. Strife. Is that why?"

Oh. That's what she meant. "Yeah, part of it. It was also... I wanted to be stronger, strong enough to protect people. Strong enough to… to be noticed…" I shake my head and sigh. "I wanted to join SOLDIER so I could be a hero... I just ended up a guard."

"You are, though."

"What?"

"You are a hero..." Tifa says softly, like she can't believe I didn't know this. I shake my head. I'm no hero. I'm the reason Meteor is headed for the Planet, the reason Sephiroth is days away from becoming a god. It's because I'm so damn weak... I was too weak to keep him from taking over my mind.

"You're wrong. I'm not a hero or a savior or anything. I'm just... Cloud Strife, bastard son of Nibelheim and Shin-Ra." Tifa's angry at me again. She's glaring at me but trying not to. I continue talking. "I've made so many mistakes, Tifa. I let Sephiroth have the Black Materia. I didn't save Aeris, or even try to protect her. I lied to everyone, including myself, because I couldn't deal with how weak I was--"

"You're not weak," Tifa says, letting a little of her frustration show. "Cloud, the whole time you were missing in the Lifestream, then in Mideel... we all realized you were our support, our strength. You were the one driving us to do this... without you, it didn't feel right. It felt like our reason for fighting was gone." Her voice drops, so I have to lean a little closer to hear. "And I missed you, because... you were the one person I could trust to take care of things. If you told me it would be all right, you'd handle it, I knew it would be ok. Because you've never once let me down."

She... she really means that? That may be the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me. I guess she doesn't hate me after all... They don't think I'm a failure.

That's going to take some getting used to.

I smile at Tifa. "Thanks," I say quietly. She smiles back, then leans over and rests her head on my shoulder.

"That's what friends are for," she replies. I feel rather than hear her sigh, and she continues, "I don't know if we were really friends when we were kids, but I think we are now."

"Considering all we've been through, I think we'd have to be," I reply absently. The idea of people liking me for… me is a little disconcerting. Tifa sits up, then looks over at me.

"You ought to get some sleep... you're still recovering," she tells me. I shrug and allow her to playfully push me backwards on the bed. I crawl under the blankets, realizing I really am tired.

"G'night, Tifa."

"It's the middle of the afternoon."

"Whatever."

Tifa laughs as she stands up. She looks down at me, smiling, then suddenly leans over and kisses my forehead.

"Get some rest," she whispers, then hurries out. I stare at the closed door, feeling confused. She... no, not going to worry about it now. I close my eyes and hope for a dreamless sleep.


	11. Chapter 11

"And I Have Touched The Sky" 

It's… over.

For an instant after Sephiroth disappears, I'm numb. Shock, I guess. I stare blankly ahead, not really seeing what's in front of me. I blink, and my eyes focus on Cloud. He's standing on the edge of the cliff, staring into the pool of Lifestream. His sword is still in his hand, the point resting on the ground.

"This was all we could do," he says quietly, looking away from the Lifestream.

"Wait! What about Holy? What's gonna happen to the Planet?" Barret demands. Cloud slowly turns to look at him, then shakes his head.

"That… I don't know. Isn't the rest up to the Planet?"

I blink again, and the numbness gives way to pain and exhaustion. Even if there was more we could do… I don't know that any of us would have the strength to do it.

"You're right," I say. "We've done all we could do."

Cloud turns to me, and for a moment our eyes meet. He's tired too. Tired… and sad. He looks away from me, to the rest of the group. "All right, everyone," he says. "It's no use thinking about it. We'll leave all our worries here." He smiles slightly and lifts one fist in a triumphant gesture. "Let's go home proud."

Home… I don't have a home to go to, anymore. Neither does Cloud. Or Barret, or Vincent, or Reeve, or… I watch dully as everyone begins hiking back up the path. We've saved the Planet, hopefully… but in the process, we've lost almost everything.

_"I'm… all alone. I don't have anywhere to go."_

I fall in step next to Cloud. Neither of us says a word. There really isn't anything to say.

Suddenly, Cloud stops dead in his tracks. I turn back towards him. "What happened?"

"…I feel it…" he murmurs, lowering his head.

"What…?"

Cloud slowly raises a hand to his face. "He is still…here." He jerks both hands up to his head, clutching it in a familiar gesture of pain. "Still…"

"Cloud!" I step towards him as he collapses. I blink-- there's almost a double image of Cloud, one fainter than the other.

"He's…laughing…" Cloud mutters desperately, then the double image jerks backwards and flies off.

"Cloud!"

His body is totally still, sprawled across the rocks. I kneel beside him and check for a pulse. Weak, but there nonetheless. I look upwards towards the rest of the group, just as tremors begin shaking the cavern.

"Cloud! Wake up, damn it!" I shake his shoulders, glancing around at the falling rocks. One crashes into the cliff above our heads, and I jump. It seems to wake Cloud partially, as he stumbles blindly to his feet. I grab for his wrist, to try to pull him with me, but another tremor rocks the crater, and I'm thrown backwards. I scramble to my feet to see the section of rocks Cloud is standing on begin to collapse.

I lean over the edge of the cliff, reaching towards him. He's too far away, I know I can't get to him-- "Cloud! Don't you dare die now, not after we've won--"

Cloud suddenly looks up, snapping into focus. I stretch my hand out to him, and he reaches up towards me. Just a little farther—suddenly, the ledge I'm on collapses. I don't even have time to scream before Cloud catches me, then jumps forward towards the sheer cliff face. He manages to get a grip on the ledge, leaving us hanging precariously.

He's really taken that promise of ours to heart. I'm about to say something to that effect to him when he speaks. "I think I'm beginning to understand…" he says quietly. I look up at him. He's not looking at me, instead gazing into the distance.

"What?" I ask, confused.

"An answer from the Planet. The Promised Land… I think I can meet her… there."

I close my eyes and lean my head against his chest, trying to ignore the sadness and confusion in my heart. "Yeah, let's go meet her."

Cloud starts to pull us up towards the top of the cliff, and I clamber back over the top. He hauls himself up and half collapses next to me, glancing around.

"Where is everyone?" he asks, looking at me in concern. I shake my head; I have no idea. I hope they're--

"Heeeey!"

Cloud and I look across the crater, where the rest of the group is sitting on a small ledge.

"I'm glad you're all safe!" I shout, waving. Red nods at me, and Cait Sith bounces happily. Barret turns to Cid, asking him something.

"Hey," Cloud says quietly, and I turn to him. "Are you okay?" he asks.

I smile and nod. "I'm fine. What about you-- what happened back there?" He looks away and shakes his head slightly. Before I can ask anything more, a loud crashing sound echoes through the crater. We all look up to see the Highwind crashing down towards us. I can't help but wonder if Cid rigged it to do that.

"Right on time!" Cid shouts, looking a lot more shaken than he sounds. "Get on!" Cloud and I exchange a look, then jump down onto the platform. I glance down, but have to look away; the pool of Lifestream below us is glowing a blinding white. Cid barely manages to get the ship righted before Holy explodes underneath us.

The next few minutes are pure chaos. The Highwind rides Holy out through the crater, and judging by the faint explosions that reach my ears, she's losing important pieces. We careen out of the stream of energy into a cold night. I tumble along the deck, and Cloud grabs my hand, keeping me from falling. Again. The Highwind does some impressive mid-air acrobatics and stabilizes, racing across the sky towards Midgar.

And Meteor.

I should have expected this, Aeris told us that the spell summoned a small planet, but still… I never imagined it would look like this. Meteor hangs low in the sky over Midgar. The city is being ripped apart by columns of fire, tearing through the plate down to the slums. I look back the way we came; we were just ahead of Holy, it should be here soon--

I throw a hand in front of my eyes as the blindingly white summon appears, flying between Meteor and Midgar. Behind me, I hear someone-- maybe Barret-- mutter "C'mon, Aeris, don't let us down." I drop my hand and look at the scene unfolding below us. Holy is slowly turning red, and Meteor doesn't seem to be stopping. Cloud steps up beside me and stares down at the warring summons. He has a death grip on the railing, and he seems to be willing Holy to work.

It doesn't.

"Wait a damn minute!" Barret shouts. "What's going to happen to Midgar?" He looks at the rest of us, then slams his fist into the railing. "We can't let that happen!"

There's a faint whirring sound as Cait Sith begins to speak. "I had everyone take refuge in the slums, but the way things are now…" He raises a paw to his face in a gesture of wiping away tears. I wonder where Reeve is now, if he's in the slums with everyone else, watching this through Cait Sith's eyes.

Red walks forward, shaking his head. "It's too late for Holy," he says. Cloud flinches, like he's been physically hit. "Meteor is approaching the Planet. Forget Midgar-- we've got to worry about the Planet."

Cloud shakes his head tersely and turns his back on the destruction below us, leaning back on the railing and rubbing a hand over his face. "This can't be… it couldn't have been worthless…" he mutters to himself. I want to say something, to comfort him, but I can't look away from Midgar. Something shimmering on the horizon catches my eye, and I lean forward slightly, trying to see.

"What's that?" I gasp, pointing. The point of light slowly gets bigger, multiplies into several points, then into flowing green ribbons. They all stream across the face of the Planet, heading for Midgar.

"What the hell IS that…?" Barret asks. I look over at Cloud, who's staring blankly ahead.

"…Lifestream," he replies.

Of course… when Holy alone didn't work, the Planet threw it's own essence into the fight. The light grows brighter, and I squint, wanting to see what happens. Meteor begins to crumble and dissolve in the green-white energy.

"Aeris…" Cloud says softly. I turn to him and rest my hand on his shoulder. "Cloud… we finished it for her. I think… I think she's at peace now."

He looks down at the Lifestream, eyes focused on something only he can see. He smiles faintly and nods. "I think you're right," he replies.

I feel like I should be worrying about the future, about what the hell we're going to do now, but I can't. I'm remarkably calm, like part of Aeris' peace spread to me.

There's nothing we can do now, but pray for that peace to spread to the Planet as well. That's worry enough for the future.


End file.
